Seaming mechanism



Allg. 14, W DIEZEL l ASEAMINGr MECHANISM Filed May 27, 19434 8 sheets-sheet 1- ai um m f6 I Y a l W. DIEZEL SEAMING MEGHANISM Aug.v 14, 1945.

Filed May 27, 1943:

8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

TORNEY Aug', 14,v 1945. W ,EZEL 2,382,469

, SEAMING MECHANISM Filed may 27, 1.945 s `sheetss11ee1fa 4 INVENTOR. Willy 171222Z BY A v 'Aug.114, 1945. W ,EZEL 2,382,469

SEAMING MECHANISM Filed May 27, 1943 a sheets-smeet 7 INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 14, 1945 SEAMING MECHANISM Willy Diezel, Fairfield, Conn., assignor to The Max Ams Machine Company,

Bridgeport,

Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application May 27, 1943, Serial No. 488,639

8 lClaims.

This invention relates to seaming machines for uniting container-ends to container-bodies, especially those made of very Aheavy-gauge stock, rather than those made of thin sheet material such as is used in the ordinary tin can. The main object and feature of the invention is to provide means for exerting the adequate pressure necessary to bend or deflect such heavy-gauge stock during the seaming operation.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is disclosed in several concrete and preferred forms in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the seaming mechanism of the invention applied to the seaming of irregular shaped containers;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are fragmentary sectional views showing the steps of seaming a container-end to a container-body;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view substantially on the plane of irregular line 5--5 of Fig..6;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view substantially on the plane of irregular line 6-6 of Fig. 5, with parts broken away;

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view looking in the direction of arrow of Fig. 5;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are more or less diagrammatic views of the parts shown in Fig. 7, disclosing the different position of the parts during the operation of the machine, looking from the top of the parts;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary detail View of one of the seaming and associated elements shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a modied form of the invention;

Fig. 13 is a, vertical sectional detail View substantially on the plane of line |3|3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a detail view looking in the direction of arrow |4 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing a modied form of the invention as applied to the seaming of a circular container;

Fig. 16 is a View similar to Figs. 7 and 15 but showing a still further modified form of the invention for use in connection with the seaming of a, circular container; and

Fig. 17 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section substantially on the plane of line of Fig. 16.

Referring first to the form of invention shown in Figs. 1 to 11 inclusive, 30 indicates a containerbody and 3| the end or cover to be seamed to the container-body. 32 indicates a chuck -to press the end or cover against the container-body, said body being supported by a pedestal (not shown) or otherwise, in a manner familiar in the art. 33 denotes the seamer head, supporting the seaming mechanism, and 34 is the cam for effecting in-and-out movements of the seaming tools. In accordance with well-understood practice, the work-piece to be acted upon (here the container and its end) and the seamer head are rotated one with respect to the other, the construction used, in the present instance, being .that chuck 32 and the work-piece stand still and that seamer head 33 is rotated as by means of gear 35. Seamer head 33 and cam 34 are given one effective revolution with respect to each other during each cycle of movements of the machine, and this is accomplished, in the present instance, by driving the cam, 34, by means of a gear 36 having a different number of teeth as compared with 35, all of Awhich is familiar to those skilled in the art.

In the present instance, four seeming-'tool assemblies are shown, two of which, 31, carry firstoperation seaming rollers and, the other two of which, 38, carry second-operation seaming rollers but, as all the Seaming-tool assemblies are substantially alike, only one will be described in detail. Each seaming-tool assembly is constructed as follows: Bolted to seamer head 33, as by means of bolts 39, is a main bearing 40. 4| indicates a seaming-roller arm having a seaming roller 42 at one end, and pivotally mounted at its other end in said bearing 40. The pivotal mounting is here provided by a sleeve 43 oscillatable within said main bearing, said oscillatable sleeve 43 and said seaming-roller arm 4| being preferably integral. 44 is a reciprocatory plunger slidable within sleeve 43 and which, by a thrust movement due to its reciprocation, in a manner to be presently described, causes sleeve 43 and arm 4| to swing to bring Seaming roller 42 into and out of engagement with the workpiece. Suitable means are provided to reciprocate plunger 44 from cam 34, which means, in the present instance, are as follows: Carried by seamer head 33 is abearing bracket 45 supporting a rockshaft 46 that carries a yoke composed of two arms 4l. Said arms 4`| are provided with rollers 48 that engage in grooved member 49 of reciprocatory plunger 44, and one of said arms 41 further Carries a cam roller that engages in a cam groove of cam 34. In the case of the first-operation seaming tools, this cam roller is denoted by 50 and engages with inner cam groove 5| of cam 34, and, in the case of the second-operation seaming tools, the cam roller is denoted by 52 and engages the outer cam groove 53 of cam 34. It will be apparent that rotation of cam 34 will cause plunger 44 to reciprocate within sleeve 43. 54 is an abutment lever, having one end 55 supported or anchored independently of main bearing 40, sleeve 43 and arm 4|, but having its middle portion 56 pivotally connected at 51 to intermediate portion 58 of arm 4|, and 'its other and free end 59 extending adjacent to bearing 40 and sleeve 43. Suitable means are provided to transmit the lengthwise thrust of plunger 44 to free end 59 of abutment lever 54 which, in this instance, take the following form: Mounted to move or slide radially, or substantially so, of sleeve 43 is a 'iidepehdentlyo'f main bearing `4|), 'sleeve 43 'and afin 4|, but connected to arm 4| at 51, Will swing sleeve 43 (also plunger 44) in main bearing 40 and, thereby, "arm 4l to cause a movement of 's'aning 'rollfer'42 intbehgagmeh't With the Work- 'e're'rte'd can be 'a powerful one, owing to the pr'e'snce 'of the toggle, and that the counterfor'ce exerted by theabutment lever is wholly absorbed by the ltlggle ilmbers, When in their straightened position, and win not be trensrnit- I vted to cam rollers or 52 and grooves'SD 'or 5| 'in whichth'ey operate- It 'wi11 also bese'en that, 'lo'y mounting seaming-roller 'afin 4| infnainbearing 40,'through which power is transmitted fror'n ca'm 3l, a very rugged 'supo-rt 'is 'afforded for afin 41, and 'said afin 'nl 'can he inane long and powerful. Pin "B3 `is preferably marie kin 'th'erorm of a 'shear-pin 'so that, in case the machine be- 'comes ain'ineu, this 'pin ^will breakb and, 'as .it 'is accessible, 'it eeh 'be easily and Acitii'cklyreplaced.

l'je'ver 54 has, inthe preceding description, been referred to as an "ahiitinent'lvenandhas been treated as if anchor, or 'fulcruin indicated at 55, were a. permenentrynred point. :tentons 'of 'the advantages of 'this construction is thatts need not he a permanently 'fixed point, and "that 'therefore 'the :cnstiiictiohran 'be vu'sei bothfor circular 'and irregular 4'shapedcontainers. vIn'the event'fthat "irregular `.'srntped container vis v"to 'he seemed, 'the' abutment lever "becomes, in addition, 'a ifon'ovv;cani `lever anais willthen, assho'wn be 'a Acani roller engaging a-roilow-oam s1, andthe seaming rollers Will therefore 'not 'only move n `an"abutmert yle'v'er because it is confined at all It will now be apas, the container and cover, and by providing it with bulges 59 and with gradually tapering portions 10. This enables follow-cam roller` 55 and the seaming roller to go around the corners of the rectangle more gradually and easily, even though it necessitates bringing the axes of the seaming roller and the follow-cam roller out of alinement Vduring the seaming operation, a condition heretofore considered undesirable. Although this feature has been found highly advantageous, it is not intendedto limit theinvention,

'in all of its aspects, thereto.

The general operation, of the machine will lbe apparent from Figs. 2 to 4'and Figs. 8 to 10, ln which latter the center line of follow-cam 81 is indicated by a'dotted line. yIn Fig. `8, #theparts are shown with the seaming rollers in neutral position, and, While in such neutral position, `the work-piece is introduced into position. See Valso Fig. 2. The first-operation seaming-tool Vassemblies 31 now come into operation, as shown by Figs. 3 and 9, and thereafter withdraw, whereupon second-operation seaming-tool assemblies 38 are brought into play, .as showniby Figs. 4 and l10.

In Figs. `12, 13 and'14, is shown a 'modified form of the invention, so far as 'the means for actuating -the .plunger inside the main `bearing and the means for transmitting its thrustto the'abutment lever are concerned.

As there shown, themain bearing is indicated at 1| and the oscillatable sleeve member is denoted by 1-2. This 'sleeve carries a seaming-roller arm 13 formed integral therewith. 14 is a reciprocatory plunger, having a cam face 15 'that engages thrust-member 1B, here taking the form of `a ball, which `thrust-member engages the free 'end of abutmeritleverH. Plunger 14 has an extension 18 that slides in Va guide 19 secured to "searner head by means v'of lbolts 8|, and said extension 18 carries a cam roller 82 that (in .this instance) engages camgroove =83 in cam B4. 'The :operation is the same las that previously described in connection with Figs. 1 to l1 inclusive and, it will be'noted that., when the plunger .is in the down position (during the Vseaming .operation), the portion marked''of cam 'face 15receives the counter-thrust of l"the abutment lever and that none of this thrustlis :transmitted 'back `cylindrical container, it lis--only necessary :to fsubstitute a cylindrical chuck face 86 yfor thereotangular one shown in wFig. 7., :and tosubStitute `a circular follow-.cam'81 for the .rectangular follow-cam`f61 also vshownzin YFig. 1. Astheremaining elements are the same as those .shown in Fig. 7, it is unnecessary to again describe '.the

construction Vor to .designatelsuch parts by atnew lseries `'of numbers.

Attention is nowballed'tdFigs. l16 fand 17. '.It

`will -be understood -that,5if the machine is Vto :act 'on a' circular containenit is `not necessary ltoernploy a follow-cam. In that case, abutment lever 88 is anchored at one end 89 on a support -or fulcrum4 90 carried by seamer head 9|. The remaining construction of the device is the same as that previously described, and need not be redescribed except to say that, if it is desired to have the machine adjustable to different diameters of containers, support 90 can be carried by a block 92 slidably adjustable in curved slots 93 of the seamer head.

I claim:

1. In a seaming machine in which a seamingroller arm hasa swinging movement to provide an in-and-out movement of a seaming roller with respect to the work-piece to be acted upon,- the combination with a seamer head; of a main bearing, mounted on said seamer head, for a seamingroller arm; a seaming-roller arm having a seaming roller at one end and pivotally mounted at its other end in said bearing; an abutment lever having one end anchored independently of said bearing and arm, but having its middle portion pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of said arm, and its other and free end extending adjacent to said bearing; a reciprocatory plunger havl ing a lengthwise thrust movement within said bearing; means to lengthwise actuate said plunger; and means to transmit the lengthwise thrust of said plunger against the free end of said abutment lever to thereby cause the latter to swing said arm on its pivotal support in said main bearing.

2. In a seaming machine in which a seamingroller arm has a swinging movement to provide an in-and-out movement of a seaming rollerl with respect to the work-piece to be acted upon, the combination with a seamer head; of a main bearing, mounted on said seamer head; a sleeve oscillatable within said bearing; a seaming-roller arm having a seaming roller at one end and having its other end carried by said oscillatable sleeve; an abutment lever having one end anchored independently of said bearing, sleeve and arm, but having its middle portion pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of said arm,

and its other and free end extending adjacent to said sleeve; a reciprocatory plunger having a lengthwise thrust movement within said sleeve; means to lengthwise actuate said plunger; and means to transmit the lengthwise thrust of said plunger against the free end of said abutment lever to thereby cause the latter to swing said sleeve, and thereby the arm, in said main bearing.

3. In a seaming machine in which a seamingroller arm has a swinging movement to provide i an in-and-out movement of a seaming roller with respect to the work-piece to be acted upon, the combination with a seamer head; of a main bearing, mounted on said seamer head, for a seamingroller arm; a seaming-roller ann having a seaming roller at one end and pivotally mounted at its other end in said bearing; an abutment lever having one end anchored on said seamer head, having its middle portion pivotally connected to `the intermediate portion of said arm, and its other and free end extending adjacent to said bearing; a reciprocatory plunger having a lengthwise thrust movement within said bearing; means to lengthwise actuate said plunger; and means to transmit the lengthwise thrust of said plunger against the free-end of said abutment lever to thereby cause the latter to swing said arm on its pivotal support in said main bearing.

4. In a seaming machine in which a seamingroller arm has a swinging movement to provide 'ian inand-out movement of a seaming roller with 'respect to the work-piecevto be acted upon, the

arm, and its other and free end extending adjacent to said sleeve; a reciprocatory plunger having a lengthwise thrust movement within. said sleeve; means to lengthwise actuate said plunger; and means to transmit the lengthwise thrust of said plunger against the free end of said abutment lever to thereby cause the latter to swing said sleeve, and thereby the arm, in said main bearing.

5. In a seaming machine in which a seamingroller arm has a swinging movement to provide an in-and-out movement of a, seaming roller with respect to the work-piece to be acted upon, the combination with a seamer head; of a main bearing, mounted on said seamer head; a sleeve oscillatable within said bearing; a seaming-roller arm having a seaming roller at one end and having its other end carried by said oscillatable sleeve; an abutment lever having one end anchored independently of said bearing, sleeve and arm, but having its middle portion pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of said arm, and its other and free end extending adjacent to said sleeve; a reciprocatory plunger having a lengthwise thrust movement within said sleeve; means to lengthwise actuate said plunger; a thrust member radially movable in said sleeve to engage the free end of the abutment lever; and means to impart a lengthwise thrust movement of said plunger to said thrust member. 4

6. In a seaming machine in which a seamingroller arm has a swinging movement to provide an in-and-out movement of a seaming roller with respect to the work-piece to be acted upon, the combination with a seamer head; of a main bearing, mounted on said seamer head; a sleeve oscillatable within said bearing; a seaming-roller arm having a seaming roller at one end and having its other end carried by said oscillatable sleeve; an abutment lever having one end anchored independently of said bearing, sleeve and arm, but having its middle portion pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of said arm, and its other and free end extending adjacent to said sleeve; a reciprocatory plunger having a. lengthwise thrust movement within said sleeve and rotatable with said sleeve; means to lengthwise actuate said plunger; a thrust' member radially slidable in said sleeve to engage the free end of the abutment lever; toggle arms between said sleeve and thrustl member; and a toggle link pivotally connected to said plunger and toggle arms.

7. In a seaming machine in which a seamingroller arm has a swinging movement to provide an in-and-out movement of a seaming roller with respect to the work-piece to be acted upon, the combination with a seamer head; of a main bearing, mounted on said seamer head; a sleeve oscillatable Within said bearing; a seaming-roller arm having a seaming roller atl one end and having its other end carried by said oscillatable sleeve; an abutment lever having one end anchored independently of said bearing, sleeve and arm, but having its middle portion pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of said arm,

'and `its other and free end extending .adiacent to said sleeve.; a reciprocatory. plunger having a ylengthwise thrust movement Within said sleeve; means vto lengthwise aetuate said plunger; a ball constituting a thrust member .radially `movable in said sleeve to engage the free end of the abutment lever; .and a cam vcarried by said :plunger to engage said ball.

8. In a seaming machine `in which a `seemingroller arm .has a swinging movement to provide an in-and-out movement of a seaming roller with respect to theA work-,piece to vbe 'acted upon, the

`combination with a seamer head; of a main bearing, on said seamer head, for a seaming-roller transmit the lengthwise thrust of said plunger against the free end of said abutment lever.

WILLY DIEZEL. 

